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The National D-Day Memorial
4 reviews for The National D-Day Memorial
I would highly recommend reading Alex Kershaw's "The Bedford Boys" before visiting Bedford and the D-Day Memorial. While the memorial itself is a worthy monument, there is even more poignant history in this small town if you know where to look for it.
I was most intrigued by the Les Monument aux Morts statue replica that is part of the memorial. The original statue sits outside of the Church of St. Aignan in Trévières, France. It was originally commissioned to commemorate the deaths of 44 soldiers from the French town during World War I. However, during German attacks on the town during the Second World War, this memorial was damaged by shrapnel; the removal of part of the face of the statue on account of a second war makes it much more haunting and much less victorious (as the woman is intended to be a sort of Nike).
I was so taken with this statue that I photographed it over and over from many varying angles. On a trip to Normandy the following year, I made a point to seek out the tiny town of Trévières to see the original.
Many of the Bedford Boys whose bodies were returned to the US are buried at Greenwood Cemetery. There is no real method to finding their headstones, but a friend who had also read the book accompanied me there on a fall day to rustle about the leaves and look for them. It was odd to find them situated so quietly amongst all the rest of the headstones after having read so much about their lives. In a way I felt like we were intruding, but in a way it was much more personal than reading their names on a memorial somewhere.
Finally, there is a Bedford World War II memorial located at the Bedford County Courthouse. This memorial is made from stone taken from the Normandy Beach area and was dedicated only ten years after the D-Day invasion. It is a small and dignified precursor to its much larger neighbor.
It's amazing what this particular group of men seem to mean, not only to their hometown, but also to the French. I spoke with the guide on the D-Day tour I took in Normandy and asked him if he would be able to elaborate a bit on them while I was there; he was very knowledgeable and proud of their roles. He also made a point to show me the street there that had been named after their hometown.
Bottom line: Read up and explore Bedford. It means more to put a face and a story to a name.
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This is excellent. I was here on a D-Day anniversary so I can't speak to what it is like on a daily basis - without hundreds of folding chairs - but it seems like it would be beautiful and moving any time. The staff (volunteers?) are very welcoming, knowledgeable, and respectful of their surroundings. I have to say that visiting on an anniversary was absolutely incredible. The staff puts on an amazing, comprehensive event, extremely efficiently and focused on D-Day and its veterans, not on personal grandstanding from speakers (including many politicians) or on fundraising (which appeared to be sorely needed but the Memorial staff kept pleas to a bare minimum, including pricing the vast amount of food and drinks significantly lower than I would have expected regardless of the Memorial being located far away from big cities). The setting - relatively 'simplistic' compared with some other WWII and D-Day monuments - and sculptures were outstanding and very evocative. I will definitely be back from time to time. For what it's worth, a visit on a D-Day anniversary can take half a day, while I'd set aside an hour or three to take everything in at leisure on a non-anniversary visit.
This was a pretty cool memorial. There was a giant fountain that kept splashing, along with a replica of beach obstacles. Not bad at all there was a very friendly lady who answered all our questions at the desk. it is located right behind the High School. There were lists of names of all the people who were injured of killed there.
There is a Gigantic marble arch that says simply "Overlord" it almost brings you to tears to see the tragedy that befell this small town's people during the war. Theres a map room, equipment storage, pinups and all kinds of other artifacts from the famed "Skylighters".
A great place to visit to pay respects to those who died in D-Day. Bedford lost more soliders per-capita than any other city. The monument lists the names of all who died on that day. Charge for parking.